# Names for the UK - ah, which to use?



## Drifloon Rocks (Jul 26, 2008)

I'm an American and have wondered this for quite some time now.

What's the deal with England, The United Kingdom, and Great Brittan. Which is it? Why are there three different names? What is the actual name of the country?

Please answer this for me. I know that many people here are English/British/etc. Thanks in advance!


----------



## Furretsu (Jul 26, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*

The United Kingdom is made up of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. As far as I know, Great Britain is the name of the large island.

*Edit:* Wait, Christ, you're _old enough to work_ but you don't even know this?


----------



## Storm Earth and Fire (Jul 26, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*

I know I'm not British, but this is what I have learned:

England is England. Home of the original English speakers.

Great Britain refers to the island England, Wales, and Scotland are on.

The United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) refers to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.


----------



## Tailsy (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the country's full name and to be honest if you're not a complete twat that explains it.

By the way, if you're unsure of a UK person's nationality do /not/ call them British. If they're Scottish they're likely to get uppity and spend three hours viciously detailing how much Britain sucks because it has England on it.


----------



## Icalasari (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Tailsy said:


> By the way, if you're unsure of a UK person's nationality do /not/ call them British. If they're Scottish they're likely to get uppity and spend three hours viciously detailing how much Britain sucks because it has England on it.


I would just go, "Um, I am unsure of your nationality. Can you tell me what it is?"

Would that, by any chance, still launch the same rant?


----------



## Vyraura (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



AuroraKing said:


> *Edit:* Wait, Christ, you're _old enough to work_ but you don't even know this?


I actually wouldn't lay fault. Try asking people to find Austria on an unmarked map. Geography isn't really focused on.



Tailsy said:


> By the way, if you're unsure of a UK person's nationality do /not/ call them British. If they're Scottish they're likely to get uppity and spend three hours viciously detailing how much Britain sucks because it has England on it.


So tell me, Tailsy, are you _technically_ then British?


----------



## Zeph (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*

Rrrrrrrrrrr.....

Rant coming. Please stopd me.

*Refrains*

England=/=Britain. I _hate it so much, it makes me furious_ when I hear people referring to Britain or the UK as 'England', because it's not and it never has been.

Don't apologise, because it's not your fault, it's an easy mistake.


----------



## Caller (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*

But England is part of Britain, and thus _is_ Britain. It would make sense for any part of Great Britain to be called Britain. They all suck though.


----------



## Zeph (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*

What I aws referring to is people referring to Britain or the UK _as a whole_ as England.


----------



## Jolty (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*

England = best country in the world

Great Britain = England plus Scotland and Wales. the big island basically.

United Kingdom = the above 3 plus Northern Ireland.


----------



## Eevee (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Tailsy said:


> By the way, if you're unsure of a UK person's nationality do /not/ call them British. If they're Scottish they're likely to get uppity and spend three hours viciously detailing how much Britain sucks because it has England on it.


er english/scottish/welsh accents are not that hard to tell apart


----------



## Timmy (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Jolty said:


> England = best country in the world


Pretty much it.

nah j/k Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are pretty bitchin' too.

Since everyone else explained it I'll just say
I don't like being referred to as British. England is still a, y'know COUNTRY. So I'm English D| All of my relatives are from England, no where else except maybe Sweden at some point wayway back B|


----------



## Music Dragon (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Timmy said:


> All of my relatives are from England, no where else except maybe Sweden at some point wayway back B|


What. I thought that was Jolty.


----------



## Not Meowth (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Vyraura said:


> Try asking people to find Austria on an unmarked map.


Or, for that matter, the United States.

Many believe it to be Russia because it's the biggest one.


----------



## Jolty (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Music Dragon said:


> What. I thought that was Jolty.


I'm completely and utterly 50/50

My dad's entire family are English and my mum's entire family are Swedish


----------



## Music Dragon (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*

This still rocks. WOOHOO SWEDES!


----------



## Tailsy (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Vyraura said:


> So tell me, Tailsy, are you _technically_ then British?


Nope! 8D



> er english/scottish/welsh accents are not that hard to tell apart


i was unaware you could tell accents online now


----------



## Not Meowth (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Tailsy said:


> I was unaware you could tell accents online now


Uh corse yuh can, if yuh type li' this, 'n sortuh pu' yuh aksent funetikly. 

But no-one does that, so the point stands.


----------



## Minish (Jul 27, 2008)

*Re: I have a simple question...*



Eevee said:


> er english/scottish/welsh accents are not that hard to tell apart


Well, I'd say my nationality is more Scottish than English, but I still have an English accent because we moved here seven years ago. And your average North American I don't think would recognise a Welsh accent. Possibly a Scottish one, but they might just lump them together and think they're different counties' accents or something.

...well it happened to _me_

Uh... seeing as the query's cleared up I'll just say that although you say the United Kingdom is the entire... er, big place, you'd say 'British person', since you don't say 'United Kingdomian'. So that could be partly why you got confused or something.


----------



## Shiny Grimer (Jul 27, 2008)

So I've been right:
England = Country.
Britain = Big Island.
UK = Big Island + Northern Ireland.

Wait what happened to Southern Ireland? Is Southern Ireland just Ireland? I know there was a problem involving religion with North and South Ireland but I thought they were all part of the big happy UK. D: Guess not.


----------



## Jolty (Jul 27, 2008)

Charteon said:


> Northern Ireland + Republic of Ireland = Island of Ireland.
> 
> And no, the UK is actually full of unhappy people.


Yeah and England and Scotland hate eachother
and sometimes England and Wales hate eachother too
we're all a bunch of bastards really


----------



## Furretsu (Jul 27, 2008)

And all four countries are America's bitches.


----------



## Tailsy (Jul 27, 2008)

I think you might have to update that definition to 'England is America's bitch and everyone else gets dragged along'.


----------



## goldenquagsire (Jul 27, 2008)

> and sometimes England and Wales hate eachother too


The thing is, Wales is like some ten-year-old kid hanging out with big tough gang members - he might dislike the older guys, but he knows that if he pipes up he'll get the shit beaten out of him. They only let him hang out with them out of pity anyway.

edit: @AK: this is why I prefer to big up my German heritage - we might be hated by the rest of Europe but at least we aren't America's bitch


----------



## Jolty (Jul 27, 2008)

goldenquagsire said:


> The thing is, Wales is like some ten-year-old kid hanging out with big tough gang members - he might dislike the older guys, but he knows that if he pipes up he'll get the shit beaten out of him. They only let him hang out with them out of pity anyway.


Lmao

this reminds me of something Tailsy once said... the UK's a dysfunctional family, Scotland's the naggy wife who wants a divorce from England who just wants to read his newspaper, Wales is the confused little kid and Northern Ireland is the crazy aunt that just watches and laughs

or something like that anyway


----------



## goldenquagsire (Jul 27, 2008)

Wait.

In this equation of Tailsy's, who represents our overseas terroritories? Can't forget about good ol' Montserrat!


----------



## Not Meowth (Jul 27, 2008)

goldenquagsire said:


> Wait.
> 
> In this equation of Tailsy's, who represents our overseas terroritories? Can't forget about good ol' Montserrat!


Distant cousins no-one ever really sees that often, except at big family dos.


----------



## Vladimir Putin's LJ (Jul 27, 2008)

goldenquagsire said:


> edit: @AK: this is why I prefer to big up my German heritage - we might be hated by the rest of Europe but at least we aren't America's bitch


Aw, I like Germans even if you used to be nazis 'v' You guys are super organized, have awesome leather goods and you have the biggest gay pride parade in the world.
Even in WWII you had the best clothes ;w;

And yeah the UK is America's bitch right now especially since Tony was Goerge's fuckboy for seven years but at least it's not as universally hated as the US atm


----------



## Not Meowth (Jul 27, 2008)

Vladimir Putin's LJ said:


> Aw, I like Germans even if you used to be nazis 'v'


Pedantic correction: _governed by_ Nazis :3


----------



## Vladimir Putin's LJ (Jul 27, 2008)

Mike the Foxhog said:


> Pedantic correction: _governed by_ Nazis :3


And most of the population was composed of Nazis because they were desperate + if you weren't you were taken out back and shot D:


----------



## Not Meowth (Jul 27, 2008)

Vladimir Putin's LJ said:


> And most of the population was composed of Nazis because they were desperate + if you weren't you were taken out back and shot D:


They supported the Nazi Party, but it doesn't make them Nazis. Not to my knowledge anyway. To my understanding describing someone as "a Nazi" means "part of the Nazi Party".


----------



## Tailsy (Jul 27, 2008)

goldenquagsire said:


> Wait.
> 
> In this equation of Tailsy's, who represents our overseas terroritories? Can't forget about good ol' Montserrat!


Well

America has been tapping England's ass for years but England is kind of shit-feart to say anything because uh hello Scotland might get a bit offended if she finds out she made him gay

Canada...

you know I had this written down somewhere but I've forgotten most of it...


----------



## Jolty (Jul 27, 2008)

Tailsy said:


> Well
> 
> America has been tapping England's ass for years but England is kind of shit-feart to say anything because uh hello Scotland might get a bit offended if she finds out she made him gay
> 
> ...


Liam once said that Canada is England's favourite son who always writes home but never gets laid


----------



## Storm Earth and Fire (Jul 27, 2008)

Vladimir Putin's LJ said:


> And most of the population was composed of Nazis because they were desperate + if you weren't you were taken out back and shot D:


AFAIK, much of the Wehrmacht's officer corps were not politically Nazis, and some were even against them. There was even a plot to remove Hitler from power.


----------



## goldenquagsire (Jul 28, 2008)

> Aw, I like Germans even if you used to be nazis 'v' You guys are super organized, have awesome leather goods and you have the biggest gay pride parade in the world.
> Even in WWII you had the best clothes ;w;


Awww, thanks. Belgium's alright, y'know. It's like a non-shitty version of France. It's just that you have a bit of a problem with paedophiles and King Leopold.


----------



## Storm Earth and Fire (Jul 28, 2008)

Don't they have problems with national unity right about now?


----------



## opaltiger (Jul 28, 2008)

They kinda have a problem with not being a country right now. They're the largest NGO in the world.


----------

